Another Way
by SamManta586
Summary: Summary: AU. Series of one-shots. Kushina performed the Eight Signed Sealing and died on the night of the Nine Tails attack, however Minato survived and has stepped down as Hokage in order to take care of Naruto. How will this affect some of the best Naruto moments? This is my first story so please Rate & Review! Rate T for death & violence!
1. Nine-Tails Attack

**This was inspired by one of the scenes from the **_**Ninja Storm **_**franchise, where Kushina nearly sacrifices herself so Naruto at least has Minato, but Minato does something stupid (for a parent at least) and decides that he'll sacrifice himself and Kushina instead. Now, I love the Naruto story as much as the next guy, but Minato at least, didn't have to die here! Kushina was inevitably going to die here anyway, and she was a Uzumaki, so it would make sense for her to know about the Eight Signed Sealing.**

**Summary****: AU. Kushina performs the Eight Signed Sealing and died the night of the Nine Tails attack, however Minato survived and has stepped down as Hokage in order to take care of Naruto. How will this affect the Naruto series? This is my first story so please Rate &amp; Review! **

**(Nine-Tailed Fox)**

(Normal &amp; Talking)

_(Thoughts)_

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Naruto! All rights go to the respective owners.**

_Chapter 1: Nine-Tails Attack_

* * *

Unknown Location (Near the Hidden Leaf Village)

_Towering above the forest, standing over the ruins of a wooden building, stood a colossal creature with dark, orange fur, known as the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Nine-Tails lets out a roar, before turning his sights upon a nearby clearing…_

Minato Namikaze flashed into sight, falling on one knee, trying to catch his breathe as he looked at his precious cargo.

"Huf...are you...huf...okay…?" he breathed.

Within his arms was his beloved wife, Kushina Uzumaki, and within her grasp she held their newborn son, Naruto.

Kushina gazed up at him in worry. "Minato, you're-"

"I'll get us out of here Kushina...Huf...don't worry." He gave her his classic grin before attempting to stand. His attempts are in vain however, as he slips back down while accidently dropping his wife and son in the process.

"Kushina-! S-sorry…." Minato was hunched over his wife and son, casting them both in his shadow. His breath was labored and his eyes were screwed shut.

"Minato," She looked up at him once more with pain filled eyes, "Minato you can't move anymore, your chakra is gone...I'm surprised you're still conscious." Kushina smiled grimly before her expression went serious as another roar split the air. Minato opened his eyes as he turned to see the Nine-Tailed Fox begin to advance on them.

"No-!" Minato was struggling to move as the ground shook with the demon's steps. Kushina looked at her husband and then at her son as the fox took another. She turned around so that her back was facing them both. "Kushina?" Minato questioning gaze fell on his wife as he pondered what she was doing before realization struck him. "STOP-!" he pleaded and reached out to her just as yellow glowing chains sprouted from her back and wrapped themselves around the Nine-Tails, pinning him to the ground.

"_**Y-You-!"**_ The fox roared as he was forcefully pulled to the ground.

Minato looked on in shock before the sound of ragged coughing reached his ears.

"Kushina!" He crawled feebly to her as coughs shook her frame and blood as red as her hair seeped from her mouth.

"I'll take...the Nine-Tails with me...to my death…" she said it with a tone that practically begged him to try and challenge her as she meet his eyes with a determined glare.

Minato looked at her with pain and confusion were written into every single feature on his face. "W-what? What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Do you...remember...how I was telling you about...learning forbidden jutsus…?" she started, before handing him Naruto. Thinking back, he did remember her going through some scrolls and books about the topic. He looked at her in confusion as she stood and made a hand seal, which summoned a hideous monstrosity. The creature had lavender skin with long, messy white hair and red devil horns. It held a small blade in its fangs and had strings of red beads that wove around its hands and continued down its arms, under its plain white cloak. What scared Minato the most however, was the glowing blue silhouette the bore a striking resemblance to his beloved Kushina, hanging limply from its white bangs.

"I found...a seal...called the...Eight...Signed Seal." Kushina explained, "It will… take the Nine-Tails...and split him into a Yin half and Yang half...and put them in…me and...Naruto." Kushina watched her husband's face change from confusion to horror.

"Make him a jinchuriki?! Why Kushina?! You know how hard it is! Why would you pass that burden onto Naruto?!" Minato stared at her as if she were a stranger. _Kushina had been scorned and abused for year because she was the jinchuriki, so why?! Why would she wish this on our own son?! _Minato thought as he tore his gaze away from Kushina and turned his sights down to their sleeping child.

"There is one side-effect to this jutsu, however." Minato looked up at her and involuntarily flinched at the intensity from her gaze. "The side-effect...is that the caster will die."

Minato's eyes widened as tears began to flow down his face. His gaze fell from Kushina's eyes as he stared blankly ahead, his mind numb.

"Minato."

Minato's head snapped back up as Kushina called his name. He learned a long time ago that disobeying her was a bad idea. She looked him dead in the eye before closing her eyes and smiling.

"Did you forget what you told me, about being strong?" her expression went soft again as she looked down to Naruto and continuing, "Of course I know what he'll have to go through, but, I know that, with your help, he'll make it!" she declared bringing a fist to heart before nodding.

"Promise me, Minato." she said, looking at her husband once more, "Promise me that you'll survive, for our son."

"I promise, Kushina, I..."Minato swallowed as the weight of his words hit him, "I give you my word." Minato declared, prying a smile from Kushina's face again.

Without another word, Kushina and the monster turned to the Nine-Tails as it roared. Kushina spread her arms out as writing appeared on the monster's hand. The moment seemed to last for eternity, when suddenly, the monster's hand went through Kushina in the direction of the Nine-Tails.

"Kushina!"

The hand continued on its path before rising and going through the fox's outstretched hand and traveling up to through its arm. The fox screeched in pain before turning its glare towards Kushina.

"**Wh-what…! Don't tell me you…! **As realization dawned on the fox.

Kushina glared back at the demon fox before forcing out one word.

"Seal!"

A blue silhouette of the Nine-Tails made from the Yang half of the Nine-Tailed Fox was sealed into Kushina.

"Ugh…!" Kushina doubled over for a moment, a hand cradling her stomach, where a black seal mark now resided.

"We need to hurry...I won't last much longer…" she gazed down at the mark before looking at her former tenant once more.

"**Grrrr…." **the Nine-Tails looked at Kushina in absolute fury, "**Y-you…! ...Uzumaki!"**

"Huf…Huf…*cough**cough*..." Kushina stumbled over towards Minato, who all the while had been staring with wide, tear filled eyes. "Kushina…"

"Now...for...Naruto…" she breathed. She then put her palm to the ground and conjured a ritual altar that consisted of a small bed in the center that was surrounded by lit candles, giving it a aura of malice that sent shivers down Minato's spine. Kushina then reached for Naruto, but Minato was frozen with grief and fear, so she had to take him from him herself.

"**Rrrrr Aaaahhhh!" **the Nine-Tails was absolutely livid, however the chains still firmly held him down. He was unable to even lift a finger.

Behind Kushina the monster removed the blade from his mouth and held it threateningly over the Chakra Kushina. Kushina looked over her shoulder and nodded and turned back to her family.

"Its...almost time…" she breathed, "but first...I'll put the last of my chakra...into the seal…" She made a hand seal and seemingly aged years in seconds.

"Before I go… I have things...I want to say...to both of you…" She smiled over at Naruto, "Naruto… Don't be a picky eater… eat a lot… and grow big and strong." She smiled and continued, "Make sure to bathe every day.. and stay warm… Don't stay up late… Get plenty of sleep…" She paused to catch her breath before going on, "Plus...make friends… You don't need tons...okay…? Just a few...that you can really trust…" She chuckled a little, "And… your Mom was bad at this...but study hard...and learn your ninjutsu…!" She paused to breathe again, "Just… Everyone...is good at some things and not so good at others… So even if...things don't go well...don't get depressed, okay…? At the Academy, respect...your teachers and those senior to you…" Minato had to smile a little at the effort she was going through for their son, "Oh… and regarding the Three Prohibitions… be extra careful about loaning and borrowing money… Make sure you save money…from your mission pay… And... don't start drinking until your 21… Too much drink is bad for your body...so...drink in moderation…" She scowled a little at the next thing she was to say, "...And...the most problematic… Girls… I'm a girl so I don't really know much about this… But...at some point...you'll notice girls… And that's normal…" Her face showed pain for a moment, but a sad smile returned soon after, "Just be careful… Don't fall for the first girl that comes your way… Find someone...like me." She let out a small laugh, "Plus...speaking if the Three Prohibitions… Be wary of… Master Jiraiya, ya know…" That would have made Minato laugh if not for the circumstances. "Naruto… there'll be plenty of hard… and painful… times ahead…" she stopped for a moment as tears fell down her face, "Take care of yourself… ...Make sure to have dreams… ...And the confidence… to make those dreams... come true…!" Kushina was hiccuping now, tears soundlessly falling to the ground. "So much…! There's so...so...much…! There really… There really is… so much more I want… I want to tell you… I want to be with you longer…!" She took a deep breathe to calm her sobs before finally saying what she needed to say, "...I love you."

By this point Minato had managed to stand, though he continued to sway on his feet. When Kushina turned to him, he felt as if his heart would shatter.

"Minato." She wiped her eyes of her tears before looking at him again. "Thank you...for everything...up till now…" Kushina then stepped over to him, and hugged him, laying her beautiful head on his shoulder.

Minato screwed his eyes shut and hugged her back. "Kushina...you're the one… ...Who made me the Fourth Hokage… Who made me a man." An image of Naruto flutter into his mind. "And you made me this child's father…" He wanted to break down right then and there, but the monster Kushina had summoned aimed it blade threateningly over the Chakra Kushina, signalling the end was near.

"I don't want you...to go Kushina…" he sobbed into her shoulder, but pressed on. "But…you're giving your life…for my village...one you weren't even born in…" He squeezed Kushina as hard as he dared, wanting her to realize how much he loved and appreciated her in his next few words, "Most of all...you gave your life...for our son…" He then pulled back from their embrace and looked her in the eye. He smiled and laughed a little as he saw her eyes filled with love and happiness. _That's how I've always wished to see you feel in your last moments. _He thought as they leaned forward and kissed one last time.

When they finally pulled away, a bittersweet smile was on their faces. They would have gone on to say more, had there not been movement from the monster behind them. He had raised his sword over his head. Kushina and him looked at each other as the sword came down. There were so many things to say, but only time for one. As the sword made contact, a few words were spoken, two voices in sync for the last time.

"I love you."

"Eight Signed Seal…"

* * *

****I hope you all enjoyed! This is my first published piece, and I have to say, I hold a lot of confidence in the idea. There are a few things I would like to clarify;****

**First: I know that this concept is widely used, however, I believe that every story has a unique element to add to every concept.**

**Second: For those who don't know, the reason "Eight Signed Seal" is after the "I love you", is not because I wanted to end it that way, however, once the caster says Eight Signed Seal, they die.**

**Third: All pairings will be canon only! And I think I will only show them in the Epilogue, as I am terrible at writing romance...mainly because I'm a freshman in highschool who has never had a girlfriend/boyfriend. **

**Fourth: Yes, I copied what Kushina said to both Naruto and Minato in that 20 minute sequence from Ninja Storm. In fairness, I don't think anyone could have made that better, so I stuck with it.**

**Well, that's all! And I'll be starting on the next chapter Saturday! I have a personal life to attend to so...yeah. Please Rate &amp; Review!**


	2. Normal For Us

**Hello everyone! Welcome to the second official one-shot for **_**Another Way**_**! I was reading the comments for my first attempt at writing Minato, and I understand that I failed horribly. I hope that this time will be different. I'm gonna try for you guys, so wish me luck!**

**As for character personality and position, I have a few reminders; Minato is **_**not **_**Hokage; Naruto acts almost exactly like he does in the anime/manga and for his protection (Or what little he can possibly have) he has the name Uzumaki; the villagers are a little more hardcore on Naruto as they blame him for the Fourth Hokage resigning.**

**Summary****: Six years have gone by since the attack of the Nine-Tails. The Third Hokage has resumed his status after Minato's understanding resignation. The Law is in effect, however people still find loopholes around it. Life has been as normal as can be for the father and son, however their version of normal, is quite painful...**

**(Tailed Beast &amp; Summons)**

(Normal &amp; Speech)

_(Thoughts)_

_**Disclaimer**_**: I don't own Naruto. I wish I did.**

* * *

Minato Namikaze was sitting by the coffee table in his home, flipping through a old photo album. He had been staring at a photo of Kushina, his beloved late wife, when their six-year-old son, Naruto, ran into the room. Minato couldn't help laughing when he saw him. Naruto had some red pants on his head, the legs trailing behind him as he ran, making him look like a rabbit. He was running around in circles, his signature, carefree smile on his face as he laughed.

At the sound of Minato's voice, Naruto stopped running and looked over. At the sight of his father, Naruto's grin spread even wider (if possible). "Daddy!" he cried, as he barreled into Minato. Minato caught him with one arm, smiling at the small bundle of energy he now held.

"What do you think you're doing, Naruto?" Minato asked, still laughing.

"I've got hair like mom now!" Naruto declared proudly.

Minato stared at his son, his smile turning bittersweet. _He truly takes after you Kushina, _he looked to the picture again, _in so many ways…_ His thoughts were interrupted by a very audible rumble coming from his son's stomach. Naruto looked at his father before scratching the back of his head, embarrassed. Minato just smiled back.

"Sounds like you're hungry." Minato stated before looking over at the clock. _It_ is _almost dinner..._

"Ramen! Ramen!" Naruto declared, jumping up and down, "Let's have some ramen!"

Minato put on a thoughtful look before standing up and walking to the kitchen, Naruto bounding after him. Minato searched around in the cabinets, but came out empty handed. "Sorry Naruto, looks like we're all out." He heard small whimper and looked down. Naruto had a sad, anime-style look on his face, with tears streaming down his cheeks. Minato sweat dropped before holding his hands out pleadingly.

"N-now wait a minute Naruto! Please don't cry!" Minato begged, before an idea suddenly sprouted into his head.

"Isn't _Ichiraku's_ still open…?" he pondered out loud he looked back to his son and was relieved to see a smile had replace the tears.

"Really?!" Naruto said excitedly. _That's my favorite ramen place! _he thought happily. Then he suddenly had a thought. "Can I go get it?!" he pleaded.

Minato was slightly taken aback by the unexpected request. He put his hand to his chin, and the other on his elbow. _Naruto going into the village alone? I don't know…_ He knew all too well how the villagers view his son. Though he had originally thought the village would treat Naruto as a hero, he hadn't counted on people being so blindsighted. They all believed Naruto to be some kind of incarnated Nine-Tails, even though he told them before how Naruto is the dominate conscious. He had heard some of the whispers and threats, and they made him uneasy about sending his son out into the village alone. _What would you do Kushina? _he smiled as he an image of her punching him over the head and declaring, "_Naruto should go out there and give those good for nothing discriminators a good smack upside the head!" _He looked back at his son and smiled.

"Sure Naruto, you can get it." Minato said, smiling as Naruto whooped in victory. "Just remember," Minato started as he went over to get some money, "you have to be back within a half an hour, understand?" Minato handed his son the bills, a serious expression on his face. Then his son nodded vigorously, before sprinting out the door, onto the porch, down the stairs, and out into the streets.

Minato had followed, and was staring at the place he had last seen Naruto, an uneasy feeling swirling around in his stomach. He tore his gaze to look up at the setting sun, before letting out a stressed sigh. _I hope my instincts are wrong this time…_ But he was experienced enough to know otherwise…

* * *

Naruto was darting about the quickly darkening streets, heading in the direction of his favorite ramen shop. _I hope Old Man Teuchi is still in, he makes Dad's favorite miso! _He smiled at the thought of getting his father his favorite ramen flavor.

As the skies continued to darken, the streets became more and more deserted. As always, he received glares and insults, but it was something he had come to accept as apart of life. _I'll prove them wrong, by becoming Hokage! _Ever since his father had told him about the history of the Hokage, including himself being the Fourth, he had wanted to surpass all the Hokage and be the greatest one of them all. His father had warned him about how hard it is to be Hokage, but that had only made Naruto more determined.

As Naruto was lost in thought, he didn't see the man purposefully walk into his path. They collided, sending Naruto down on his rear, and the man a step back. Naruto looked up and felt a shiver of fear travel down his spine. The man smiled evilly before shooting bloody murder at Naruto through his bloodshot eyes, indicating that the man was intoxicated.

"Stupid demon!" the drunk accused, "Trying to run me over and stomp me to the ground?!"

"N-no sir! I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention." Naruto insisted. However the drunk looked anything but convinced.

"Yeah sure." the drunk waved off his excuse, "You should learn your place, monster!"

As the drunk took a threatening step towards him, Naruto looked around for any means of escape. The street was empty except for the two of them, which meant getting help wasn't an option, although he doubted he would get any anyways. As the man got closer, Naruto panicked. He bolted away with the drunk stumbling after him. "Get back here, brat!" Naruto ran into a nearby alley, hoping he could outrun or hide from the man. His hopes were dashed however when he came to a tall, wooden fence blocked his path. Naruto turned around as the drunk shambled over to the entrance of the alleyway. Naruto backed up and pressed his back against the fence as he watched the drunk stalked towards him. When the man was only a few feet away, Naruto started shaking and hyperventilating. The drunk smirked as he bent down to grab something from the side of the alley. Upon closer inspection, Naruto could see a sharp piece of shrapnel. Naruto had no time to dodge as the man swiped at him, and pain exploded from his leg. He barely had time to cry out as he was slammed into the concrete ground by a hit to his chest. Naruto curled in on himself as tears started to fall. He vaguely heard the man laugh as he placed his foot on his tiny rib cage. Naruto tensed, waiting for him to stomp _him _into the ground. A grunt of pain made him snap his eyes open, tears still flowing. The pressure on his side had disappeared, and when he looked up, the drunk was no longer there. Suddenly, warm arms picked him up from behind, lifting him up, bridal style. Naruto looked over and saw the drunk slumped over, unconscious. Finally gazing upward, Naruto found himself looking into the eye of the Copy Ninja, his 'older brother', Kakashi.

"Ka-Kakashi…?" he asked, shocked at how weak his voice sounded. Kakashi smiled through his mask.

"Hey kid." Kakashi said gently. Naruto was about to question him, but Kakashi seemingly read his mind. "Your dad was a little worried. Said he got a bad feeling after you left." Kakashi explained. Naruto shifted in his arms, and winced heavily from the pain. "Take it easy, I'll carry you home."

Naruto nodded and closed his eyes as Kakashi leaped up and over the roof tops, heading back home, tears falling silently down his face. Partially from pain, and partially from fear and confusion. _Why? _he questioned, _Why do they treat me this way? What did I do? Why won't anyone tell me?! _Naruto was shaking and hyperventilating again. Kakashi noticed, but only held him tighter in response.

In the next moment, Kakashi had touched down on the porch, the broken six-year-old in his arms. Kakashi moved to open the door, but it swung open as a weary looking Minato stood in the doorframe. Upon seeing his son, he ushered, practically shoving them, through the door.

"Lay him down." Minato ordered. Kakashi complied, and placed the shivering blond on the sofa. Minato kneeled next to his son and placed a hand on his chest, earning him a wince. Minato turned to Kakashi, "Go get the first aid kit and boil some water." Kakashi turned away without a word and walked off.

Minato turned back to his son. _He's hyperventilating…_ he thought grimly. Minato gently grasped his shoulder and shook his child softly. Naruto's eyes opened slightly. When his son's eyes locked with Minato's, he felt as if his heart broke, right then and there. Naruto had dirt and cuts all over his face, so that his tears mixed with his blood. Looking down, he saw his leg wasn't any better. There was a ragged gash that went almost around the entire leg. Fortunately, it wasn't deep, probably wouldn't need stitches. His main concern however, was the way Naruto was gripping his rib cage. When Minato moved his hand closer the place Naruto was holding, he flinched and then groaned. Minato was so engrossed with his son, he didn't notice Kakashi approaching. The former Hokage jumped when his former student placed the first aid kit on the coffee table. The two looked at each other, both feeling the same worry. Kakashi broke eye contact first by looking at Naruto who had calmed his breathing some and sat up.

"I'll get the water." Kakashi sighed.

"Thank you." Minato said.

When Kakashi had disappeared into the kitchen, Minato turned back to Naruto, who was trying to wipe away the tears.

"Naruto." Minato said, causing the younger blond to look up from his task.

"Naruto," Minato said again, "what happened? Who did this to you?"

Naruto looked at his dad with wide eyes before staring down at his hands,forgetting about the tears. In the kitchen he could hear Kakashi fumble about in the kitchen. As the minutes ticked by, Minato began to think his son was ignoring him, choosing instead to sulk in solitude. He was surprised however, when Naruto suddenly sprang up and wrapped his arms around Minato's neck, sobbing uncontrollably. Minato bit his lip and hugged his son to him tightly. They stayed like that until Naruto's sobs subsided into watery sniffles. Minato patted his son on the back before pulling him away far enough to look him in the eye.

"Feel better now, kiddo?" Minato inquired, masking his concern with a charming smile.

"Y-yeah…" Naruto murmured, wiping at his eyes. Minato lifted a hand to Naruto's face and brushed some tears away.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Minato asked lightly, trying to ease the fear he saw in Naruto's eyes. Naruto nodded and began the story. Naruto told them how he had been running down the street and how he had ran into the drunk man. Kakashi peeped his head around the corner in order to hear better. When he got to the part about the man calling him a 'demon' and a 'monster', Minato's expression darkened for a minute with rage, killer intent spreading like wildfire, before he managed to calm himself. Naruto continued on, trying to sugar coat everything in order to keep his father from doing anything rash. When Naruto finished, he looked up to see the former Hokage trembling in anger.

"Daddy…?" Naruto called hesitantly, snapping Minato out of his thoughts. Minato blinked a few times before shaking his head and mumbling an apology.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I should've gone with you." Minato said, a guilty expression on his face.

"No!" Naruto shouted, causing both men to jump slightly. "I wanted to go out on my own. It was my idea not yours." Naruto declared, "Besides," Naruto continued, "it's not your fault the villagers hate me!" At that, Minato flinched, before mumbling something under his breath. Naruto could have sworn he heard him say "stupid fox".

"Hm?" Naruto asked.

"It's nothing, son. Nevermind." Minato said dismissively. Naruto shrugged tiredly, but the action made his ribs screech in pain again. He winced and grabbed his side.

"Naruto! Here lie to go to sleep okay?" Minato said as he laid his son back down on the couch. Kakashi came back into the room with a bowl of hot water and a small towel. Kakashi placed the bowl down on the coffee table before leaning over and opening the first aid kit, opening a disinfection wipe, before beginning to clean the wound on Naruto's leg. Minato took the towel and wet it. He ringed it out and began to brush it along his face. Naruto turned his head over to them.

"Hey…" Naruto murmured, as he felt sleep rising to claim him. Both Kakashi and Minato looked up. "Why do the villagers treat me this way…?" asking the life-long question once more. Minato and Kakashi shared a glance. Kakashi shook his head grimly before turning back to Naruto's leg.

Minato turned back to Naruto and looked at him with eyes filled with grief and sorrow. He then leaned forward and kissed Naruto on the forehead, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. Minato then whispered, "I'm sorry, my son. I wish I could tell you, but it's just not time." Naruto let out a disappointed sigh, although he wasn't really expected an answer. He never got one before. As his eyes slid shut, his father surprised him by continuing. "Promise me, that when you do find out, that you'll remember that _we do love you_." Naruto nodded slightly as his world turned black.

* * *

**That was a lot better I think. I definitely had more fun writing it this way. I hope you think it's better! Also, if you guys are wondering why the flip Kakashi was the one who saved Naruto, it's because I wanted to establish Kakashi as an important and supporting character for Naruto. I think Kakashi should have been more brotherly and everything, seeing as they (kind of) shared the same father. Well, the next one-shot I think will be Minato protecting a 10-11 year-old Naruto during an assassination/kidnapping event. I dunno I haven't quite decided.**

**As I said before, thank you all so much for reading and I'm truly grateful you took the time to! Please Rate &amp; Review!**


	3. Curse of the Yellow Flash

**Hello everyone! I'm really glad my other one-shot did so well! Thanks so much! Just a reminder, the summary at the beginning will summarize what has happened in the time-span between the one-shots. And because it is only a one-shot and I won't be messing with the other events of the series so much, so just consider the facts to follow the canon. **

**As always with the changes for my stories; Minato is **_**not **_**Hokage; Naruto acts almost exactly like he does in the anime/manga and for his protection (Or what little he can possibly have) he has the name Uzumaki; the villagers are a little more hardcore on Naruto as they blame him for the Fourth Hokage resigning.**

**Summary****: Naruto and Minato have had an uneventful four years, with nothing more out of the ordinary than a few interesting missions and Naruto pulling a few pranks. However, there has been talk of the Village Hidden in the Stone taking action for the first time since the Third Shinobi War…**

**(Tailed Beast &amp; Summons)**

(Normal &amp; Speech)

_(Thoughts)_

_**Disclaimer**_**: I don't own Naruto. I wish I did.**

* * *

"Are you sure, Kakashi?" Minato asked.

"Seems so, Minato-sensei." Kakashi nodded, "Word is that they sent out a few teams. So for scouting, some for other..._personal _mission for the Hidden Stone. At least that's what Inoichi got from the team we caught."

Minato sighed and took a swing of his sake. Kakashi had come to greet him at the gates when he came back from his mission. The two went to one of the bars, when Kakashi had told him about the Hidden Stone ninja that had been found scouting out the Leaf. Minato had been hoping that the Stone would learn from their mistakes in the Third Shinobi War, but apparently, Kushina was right. He's too forgiving.

"Sensei. What are you going to do?" Kakashi asked. Minato sighed again and shook his head slowly.

"I'm not Hokage anymore Kakashi." Minato stated, "Whatever we do about the Stone falls to the Third Hokage."

"I meant about Naruto." Minato gave him a look. Kakashi sighed and explained, "Remember when I said 'personal missions'? You did have a major role in the battles with the Hidden Stone. If they word somehow got out that _Uzumaki _is also _Namikaze_, Naruto will be a target."

"What can I do? Naruto is an Academy student, and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. He can take care of himself." Minato informed.

"Minato-sensei." Kakashi began, "I have no doubt that Naruto has skill for his age, but maybe it would be better to be safe than sorry."

"What are you implying Kakashi? That I train him? Now? I remember telling you me and Jiraiya-sensei's plan. First he teaches Naruto, like how he taught me, _then _I step in and teach him my signature techniques. We thought it would be the best way for Naruto to learn." Minato stated.

"I'm not saying anything big. Maybe just some taijutsu or something." Kakashi sighed, "Sheesh. You and your son are so dramatic." Kakashi said as he paid for his drink and stood up. Before he was too far, he stopped and said, "Just think about it." before walking off into the streets.

Minato sighed and slapped some money on the table before leaving himself. _Kakashi...if nothing happens, you can tell Jiraiya-sensei why I stole his student!_

* * *

Minato sat at the dining table, casting occasional glances at the door and clock. _Hurry up! _Minato looked at the clock again, _I swear son, if went to get ra- _his silent threat was interrupted when the front door opened. Naruto came inside with a devilish smile on his face. Minato raised his eyebrows at his son's expression, but chose to ignore it for now, there were more pressing thing to attend to than _another _scheme.

"Naruto."

At the sound of his father's voice, Naruto jumped. He slowly turned around to face him, planting a unconvincing smile his face. Minato stifled a frown and cast a warm, fatherly gaze upon the young blonde.

"Naruto," Minato asked, "how's your training going?"

The ten-year-old gained a look of panic answering, "It's going fine! No need to ask about it, ya know!" Naruto said, a little loudly.

Minato sighed and stood, again ignoring the blatant lie. He grabbed his son's hand, ignoring his protests, and dragged him back out the door.

"Come on, Naruto! Let's go." Minato ordered.

"'Go'? Go where?"

"To training ground 7!" Minato declared.

"'Training ground 7'?" Naruto questioned, a confused look on his face.

* * *

Minato was staring out at the sunset, sitting on the Hokage Monument. He looked to his right and smiled at his son, who was currently staring out at the sunset with his green goggles on. Minato had taken Naruto to training ground 7 to work on his taijutsu, exactly what Kakashi had recommended. Naruto had done pretty well, however, it seemed that he inherited Kushina's learning pace, so there was _a lot _of room for improvement. Minato smiled and stared back at the sky.

"Hey Dad?"

"Yes, Naruto?"

"Thanks for today!" Naruto said, his signature grin on his face, "I can't wait to this in school tomorrow!"

Minato looked at his son with small, content grin. He was a about to say something when a something caught his attention. In one swift motion, Minato grabbed Naruto and dove over the edge of the Hokage Monument, using one of his kunai to pierce the rock and leave them suspended in the air. Looking back up, two kunai appeared where the pair had been sitting.

"Hey! Dad! What's the big idea?!" Naruto screeched. He continued his protests and wiggled around in his father's grip. Both snapped their heads up at the sound of footsteps. Standing over them were four ninja dressed in black body suits, dark grey flak jackets, and black shinobi shoes.

"Well, well, well… Looks like we struck the money load guys!" the leader, a girl by the looks, snickered. All the others behind her laughed, two boys and two girls.

Minato growled in the back of his throat before swinging back over the ledge, putting down Naruto and taking a defensive stance in front of him. _Darn it! I thought I had more time..._

"The Leaf's Yellow Flash, am I right?" the same woman inquired, crossing her arms and glancing at Naruto, "Seems he got a little brat now too."

Naruto's face in and expression of anime anger, yelled, "WHAT WAS THAT?! COME OVER AND SAY THAT TO MY FACE, YOU-!"

"Enough Naruto!" Minato interrupted. Naruto gave him a look before glaring back at the woman.

"By your head bands, I'd guess that you're the Hidden Stone shinobi we heard about." Minato said, smirking at the shocked expressions of the five in front of him.

"What? You knew about us?!" one of the men exclaimed.

"Courtesy of your little scouting party." Minato explained, "If you want them back unharmed, then tell your Tsuchikage to recall all of his ninja from the Land of Fire, or they _will _be executed."

"Ha! No way the Tsuchikage will agree, he'd rather kill them himself!" the woman retaliated, "And besides, we couldn't go yet. We have to kill the two of you first!" She screamed, as her team charged forward.

Minato pulled out two kunai and charged to meet them head on. Naruto ran around them, shuriken drawn. All five ninjas drew tantos **(A.N.- Tantos are short, one-handed swords that are more effective at hand to hand than a kunai) **and katanas. Naruto threw his shuriken, forcing the ninja to dodge. Minato used the time to throw his two kunai so that they were pierced into the ground. In a flash of yellow, Minato disappeared. Yellow flashed around the area as wounds spontaneously appeared on the Stone shinobi. In a matter of seconds, almost all the ninja were down, except for one.

"Y-y-you-!" said the woman, as she struggled to her feet.

Minato looked at her in faint surprise. "Now, that was hardly my all," Minato stated, "but how is it your still standing?"

The woman smirked as she finally managed to stand, "That's because I'm Kurotsuchi. The granddaughter of the Third Tsuchikage!" she declared, before she charged Minato. Before she could reach him however, a kick to the shoulder knocked her down again.

"Nice job, Naruto!" Minato said praisingly. Naruto gave him his fox grin and he rubbed underneath his nose.

"Do you think I'm done, you brat?!" Kurotsuchi demanded before launching a punch at Naruto. Naruto dodged and did a spinning kick to her abdomen, before throwing a punch of his own at her head. The blow knocked Kurotsuchi out cold, dropping her to the ground in a heap.

Minato looked on in pride. _He spent so long working on that combination._ Minato smiled as Naruto jumped up around in victory. He shook his head at the sight.

"Hey Naruto!" Minato called, stopping Naruto mid-step. "Let's go tell the Hokage what happened. After, we can go get some ramen!"

"RAMEN!" Naruto yelled as he ran past his father towards the village. Minato looked back at the setting sun, as the sky changed to a familiar shade of red.

_Kushina… You would have been so proud..._

* * *

**That was by far my favorite one! I feel like I got to elaborate a little more on the character personality. For those wondering why the fight scene was so short, it's because it's freaking Minato Namikaze. I don't care if Kurotsuchi is the Third Tsuchikage's granddaughter! This is Minato Namikaze! They guy who was considered the strongest shinobi alive! I rest my case.**

**Anyway, I'm pretty sure the next story will be a nice, short, gushy one about Naruto and Minato talking about how Naruto became a Genin. **

**As always, please Rate &amp; Review! Thanks for reading!**


	4. Grief Behold

**Hello everyone! I'm back after three whole months!**

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**Okay, I know I could have written sooner, but I had a personal life to attend to. I had finals coming up and I wanted to explore poetry, which I have a lot of fun doing. Also I got a job as a stablehand and we have pregnant animals and all that, so I was quite busy. But I really wanted to do this again for some reason, so here I am! **

**Last time I said I was going to do a touchy-feely moment between Minato and Naruto about the events of Episode 1 of the anime. If you do not know what the present state of the universe is then please look at the previous author's notes in my other chapters/one-shots. Let's get on with this then, shall we? :)**

**(Tailed Beasts &amp; Summons)**

_(Thoughts)_

(Normal Speech)

* * *

Minato let out a small, resigned sigh as he pondered his thoughts. He sat on the couch within his home, waiting for his son to return. Ever since the incident with Mizuki the other day, Naruto had been avoiding everyone like the plague. Kakashi said that he needed to come to accept everything in his own time, something Minato understood, but still it did not stop him from worrying. He was a father after all.

Minato was so engrossed on his thoughts that he was caught off guard when the door suddenly opened, letting unwarranted light into the currently darkened house. Naruto looked around the room as he stood in the doorway, with a far away look on his face. He turned back to the door and closed it with a satisfying click.

"Naruto." Minato called.

Ignoring his father, Naruto began to walk further into the building. He hadn't even taken three steps before a large hand clasped his shoulder, bringing his movements to a halt.

"Naruto." Minato tried again. Naruto turned his head slightly so that he could see his father over his shoulder.

"I think we need to talk." Minato said, but to his dismay Naruto just shook his head before removing his hand from his shoulder and turning away again. Minato stared after him, guilt and sadness weighing so heavily on him that it was hard to breathe.

"But I need to." Minato said softly. Naruto stopped and looked back. "Please."

* * *

Both father and son sat on the couch in the living room, two bowls of steaming ramen sitting on the table in front of them. Minato cast a worried glance at Naruto, noticing the absence of his son's usual appetite. Naruto had his hands in his lap,and was staring down at his food with no particular interest. His father shifted so that his hands were woven together in front of his face.

Naruto turned to face him. "What did you want to talk about?" Minato mentally grimaced at his blunt tone.

"I wanted…" Minato started, but trailed off. Where should he begin? How should he begin? One wrong word and he could change his son's entire outlook on the world. He might side with the Nine-Tails, become susceptible to his honeyed words. Minato shook his head and locked his eyes with his son's, flinching internally at the pain hidden behind them.

"I wanted to answer your question Naruto." he stated.

Naruto looked briefly confused for a moment before shaking his head slightly. As he moved to get up he said, "I don't have-" Minato grabbed his wrist before he straightened up. Naruto looked back, mild surprise the only emotion he allowed himself to convey, before stopping when he met his father's gaze. It held so many emotions, so many that it hurt. There was guilt; sadness; fear; but most of all, there was grief. Minato pulled Naruto back down to the couch, never breaking eye contact with the boy.

"Your question is the most widely known in all of history, Naruto." The former Hokage stated. "Your question, is 'why?'" Naruto's eyes widened some and he nodded in confirmation. Minato smiled ruefully at the genin's response. "It's a fair question, and can only truly have one answer, no matter what it is applied to. The answer is cruel, cold, and almost always unfair." Minato turned his eyes hard, and stared intently into his son's. "The answer is my son, why not?"

Naruto looked up at his father in shock, before bowing his head, his form trembling slightly. Minato's expression turned sorrowful, yet he pressed on.

"The Nine-Tails attacked our home. Why not?" A cringe.

"The Nine-Tails killed people. Why not?" A flinch.

"He was sealed into you. Why not?" A watery sniffle.

He lifted the younger blonde's head, looking at the now tear-stained face. _Look at what I have done to you, my precious son… _He took a deep breath.

"Your mother died for you. Why not?"

The entire world seemed to freeze at those words. Nothing moved. Nothing even breathed. Both father and son sat, side-by-side. The son's head bowed as if in shame, and the father, staring expectantly at the child in front of him.

Finally, Naruto broke. He began to sob. His body heaved and his breath came in rushed, uneven gulps. Tears followed steadily like rain down his race. he braced himself on the couch, his arms shaking under the weight of his upper body. All Naruto saw was a blurred image of the couch and his hands.

A warm presence wrapped itself around him pulled him forward gently. Naruto all but collapsed into his father's arms. He gripped onto the man's thick blue sleeve, and pressed his head into his chest. His father held him tighter in response.

Minato looked down at his broken child with immense sadness. Tears began to pour out of his eyes as well, falling onto his son's golden hair. He put one arm around his son's shoulders and another on top of his head. He quickly kissed the top of his forehead, muttering the phrase 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry' over and over again.

The two held on to each other tightly, crying out their sorrows to the other. For the first time, their grief was not separate, but shared,their pain eased. The pair fell asleep together on the couch, neither having relinquished their hold.

* * *

**I hadn't planned on stopping it there, but I feel like it ended so much better this way than what I had originally planned! A little short I know, but it was good, right?**

**Also, did anyone get my reference with 'honeyed words'? I have a love-hate relationship with those guards...**

**I feel like I made it very emotional there, but I believe that if Naruto had someone who was there that was willing to talk about it, it wouldn't have been all that different, and I want to clarify, the reason that Naruto broke down when Minato said that about Kushina, was because what Kushina made him practically shaped his entire childhood of score and neglect by his own people. Kushina was made him that, and by this point he knows that she was the one who made the seal, so hearing that she did it **_**for **_**him got to him, you see? You've got to admit that that plucked something in your heart, right? Right?**

**Anyway I think my next one-shot will be about Naruto meeting Jiraiya. Until then, please R&amp;R! :)**


	5. Announcement of Gigantic Proportions!

**Hello everyone! Sorry I haven't been updating recently, I've been super busy with school, and the fact that I had a nasty head injury from a ATV crash! I'm all better now though, and I have a big announcement!**

**Unfortunately **_**Another Way **_**has been discontinued for a lot reasons, mainly that I've lost interest in the Naruto series. However the current chapters will remain up, and if I ever get back into Naruto I promise to update it. **

**Fortunately I have a few new interests and you can expect some stories from them. That will be found in bio when I update it. **

**And lastly, since I have decided to become a writer, I want to write a few of my own stories for you guys to read! My first story will be called **_**Nightmare of the Dragon's Moon**_**, and will be updated along with a sister story that is still in the works.**

**That's all for now! See you soon!**

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**Seriously, that's it.**

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**PATIENCE! THE MASTER IS WORKING!**


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